Every year there are scenarios wherein a child is injured or killed as a result of being left in an unattended vehicle, and generally from heat.
There are a number of inventions that provide a generic means for notifying a person that a child is left in a vehicle. The means of monitoring as well as the means for notification are limited and addressed by the Inventor herein.
Dublin, et al. (US Publication 2002/0161501 A1 dated Oct. 31, 2002) is a comprehensive example utilizing a series of states to stop sensing, such states include:
a) Ignition state
b) Accelerometer
c) External motion
d) Door open/close
Further, Dublin, et al. teaches a series of warning signals including Voice, Sound, Light, Auto Lights, Horn, CB, Cell, and other RF. To be more precise, Dublin teaches Voice, Sound, and Light as a means for warning an occupant inside the vehicle (24) of the elevated temperature inside a vehicle. Dublin is limited in that the taught means for stop sensing (16) are the standard group as identified above, further stating that warning by buzzer. Dublin is limited in the standard Voice, Sound and Light warning processes, as they are not defined in more detail. Additionally, the system is quite complex and should be incorporated as an OEM installation during the original manufacturing of the vehicle.
Smith (U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,889) teaches another occupant sensing system, again utilizing the seat belt to indicate if the seat is occupied.
Burgess (U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,844) teaches another child alert device which monitors when a door is opened via sensing the change in air pressure within a vehicle. The warning is via light and sound utilizing LED's and a speaker. Again no mention of specific sounds.
Quinonez (US Pub No. 2003/0122662) teaches a baby car seat alert and range alarm, which further operates, based upon the state of a door.
Kalce (U.S. Pat. No. 6,998,988) teaches an infant alarm system for an automobile, wherein said system is activated by a pressure sensitive pad placed onto the driver's seat.
Audible alarms are designed to be irritating to anyone that hears it. It is recognized that audible alarms are designed in this manner to entice a person to act accordingly. Although this is the general intention, a side effect is that the audible alarms scare young children.
What is desired is an alarm system that would not scare children.
Various sensors are taught which either stop sensing or stop an indication that a child is left in a child seat.
What is desired is an alarm system with a sensor that either stops sensing or stops indicating when a child left in a child seat, wherein said alarm system that can be easily installed as an aftermarket item.